So Into You
by spocketlaine
Summary: The answers he got didn't really help him in understanding anything but somehow the thought of spending the rest of his life with her seemed like an amazing adventure.
1. Chapter 1

AN: lol this started on tumblr but a lot of people preferred to be here instead and who am i to disappoint

* * *

So Into You 1

" _Will you come back and make me your bride?"_

Goku for some reason just couldn't get that sentence out of his head. They were heading towards the location of the last dragon ball, and Chichi's words kept repeating in his head. He didn't know why but for some reason it's just not leaving him.

"Na, Bulma," he suddenly said, leaning his body against the seat in front. "What's a bride?"

Without warning, the girl suddenly stepped on the brakes as he and Oolong gripped on the car for their life. Goku even falling in the tiny space between the front and back seats.

"Hey, what's the deal?" he asked as he rubbed the back of his head that he hit somewhere.

"What?!" Bulma exclaimed as she turned to look at him. "You don't know what a bride is?"

"Yeah," he answered, sitting back down. "What is it?"

Oolong scoffed and turned up his nose. "I can't believe you don't know what a bride is."

Goku chose to ignore him. "Is it something to eat?"

"Oh Goku," Bulma chuckled as she started the car once more. "A bride isn't something to eat," then she started giggling weirdly to Goku's confusion. "Although, if you played your cards right, hehehehe…"

She shook her head and continued on with her driving. "But anyway. A bride is someone who's getting married to the love of their life."

"Married? Love?" Goku repeated in confusion. "Granpa always tells me he loves me. Like that?"

"No silly," Bulma said. "It's a - different sort of love. It's the kind of love that makes your heart beat fast, and takes your breath away, and gives you all these feelings in your stomach. Oh I can't wait what kind of man the great dragon would give me!"

"So it's not something to eat?" Oh poop, so Chichi didn't want to eat with him? And here he thought he could get to eat something delicious...

"Nope!" Bulma repeated. "Once you get older, maybe you'll understand what it is then. Anyway, we're getting closer to the dragon ball!"

* * *

 _What about our wedding?_

Goku woke up with those words in his head. It's been awhile since he saw Chichi and he could not for the life of him figure out why he was suddenly dreaming of her. And it's usually the same thing every time. It would always start out the same thing, with him napping beside Chichi by the lake as she rambled about weddings and flowers and that bride stuff (even if Bulma already explained it to him all those years ago, he still didn't know what it was). But then he would wake up and Chichi would turn to him, except this time, she would just smile and lean closer to him. Even if it's a dream, for some reason it almost felt real because he dreamt that he could _feel._ He didn't get it, but as she came closer, he could feel her soft skin against him, how smooth it was pressed against him. He could feel her breath ghosting on his lips as he looked down to her, a smile on her face. Suddenly his arm would wrap around her hip without him knowing (and her soft, smooth skin just felt so good under his touch) as he would try to pull her closer to him. She would only giggle and lean away, saying those words that still puzzled him before he would wake up with his dongle painfully straight up in his pants.

What about weddings indeed.

He walked out of his room in the Lookout to try and calm himself down, and probably not sleep for the time. He would just have the same dream again and again. Man couldn't Chichi just make him sleep?

He walked around the place until he saw Kami and Mr. Popo standing by the edge. They seem to be talking, but with how far he was from them, he couldn't exactly hear them.

"-eddings are always fun, aren't they Kami-sama?" Mr. Popo asked the god as Goku neared them. The two of them didn't seem to notice him, or if they did, they didn't mind him.

"Indeed," Kami-sama nodded. "Humans may be fickle at times, but this sacred ritual of forming a bond with one another is one of the beautiful things they have done."

"Whatcha looking at?" Goku asked as he made himself known.

"Oh hello, Goku," Kami-sama greeted him as they turned around to face him. "We were watching a wedding."

Wedding? Like the one Chichi was talking about? Maybe this could be a good time to find out what it was!

"Oh can I see, can I see?" he asked eagerly as he stood beside the green being. Kami-sama only chuckled let him have a view of the celebration going on. He looked down and immediately saw all the food served. Wow, was that what weddings were? A place where there's lots of food? Why the heck didn't he let Chichi do it the last time he saw her?

"That's a lot of food!" he exclaimed excitedly as his eyes twinkled. That roasted pig looked delicious.

"Of course," Kami-sama said patiently. "A celebration like this deserved quite a feast after all."

"What are they celebrating?" Goku asked as he forced himself to turn away from the food (it was very hard).

"See those two people," Kami-sama pointed to two girls wearing really large and pretty white dresses. "Those two have just gotten married."

"Married?" Didn't Bulma say something like that back then?

Kami-sama nodded. "It's when two people love each other join together to spend their lives together for as long as they live."

That's an awful long time to be together…

"Both of these brides promised themselves to one another a few hours ago, making an oath to care for each other and love one another."

Love, there that word goes again. What was it really? Bulma said it's not like how his Grandpa loved him. Was the love between those two girls different too?

"What's love?" he suddenly blurted out, looking back down to the two girls who had their arms around each other, swaying gently as their foreheads touched together.

He looked back towards Kami-sama, the god having a curious expression on his face.

"My grandpa always told me he loved me when he was still alive, but my friend Bulma told me that love was different. I don't get it." he scratched his head, getting confused about this whole thing all over again.

"Love is a complicated thing, I agree," Kami-sama chuckled. "Even I sometimes don't understand what it is, but I suppose the heart knows what it wants."

Heart? What did have to do with anything?

"See, Goku, the love your grandpa showed you was a kind of love, the kind that was shared between family. Because he loved you, you shared a special kind of bond and affection with him one can only feel with family.

"Your friend Bulma was talking of another kind of love, a love shared between two people who built a bond so special they feel all sorts of things."

"Like fast hearts, and weird feelings in your stomach?" Goku remembered Bulma's words.

"It can be," Kami-sama answered. "But sometimes, it can make you feel the opposite, that just by being with this person is enough to make you feel calm and be at peace. Sometimes, it can be both. Like those two girls," he pointed back to the girls. "Those two have had those feelings you described, but at the same time, they are also at peace together. Marrying each other was their way of showing how much they love each other by devoting themselves for each other for the rest of their lives."

Goku observed the two girls sharing smiles together as they looked at each other's eyes. Goku didn't think that they had their hearts beating fast, but he could see what Kami-sama could see what he meant by being at peace.

He remembered his times with Chichi, his last time spending time alone with her. When he saw her by the lake, he immediately felt so happy to see her, and maybe he did feel his heart beat fast for a second and his stomach feeling weird. But he only ignored that his heart and thought that his stomach was just being weird because he was still hungry even though he already ate lots of apples that time.

But when he slept by her, hearing her soft rambles as he napped, Goku couldn't remember any other times where he felt so peaceful.

"You seem to be in deep thought," Kami-sama remarked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Hmm?" he blinked as he looked at the guardian. "Oh, I was just thinking about my other friend. She wanted me to make her my bride."

"Oh my," Mr. Popo gasped. "And what did you say Goku?"

"I said okay," he answered simply.

"Oh dear."

"But that was when I thought it was something to eat!" he exclaimed. "I didn't know what a bride was!"

He looked away from them, only to turn back to the two girls in their pretty dresses. Would Chichi wear something like when she became his bride?

"Well, now that you know what it is, would you still be like her to be your bride?"

Did he?

"I- I don't know," Goku confessed quietly. "I still don't get everything, and this whole love thing is still making me confused, but when you told me all that thing with being at peace and weird stomach feeling, I feel like maybe I do, but at the same time, I still have no clue what everything means."

"Kami-sama only chuckled and patted his head. "Don't worry, Goku. I'm sure you'll figure it out one day. You're still young. You have all the time in the world."

Goku could only nodded as the three of them went back to the celebration, watching as the girls finally let their lips touch, smiling against them.

There was a fleeting image of him sharing that kind of act with Chichi, and for a moment Goku thought that spending his whole life with Chichi would be an amazing adventure to have.


	2. Chapter 2

Weddings suddenly fascinated him, and whenever he had free time up in the lookout, he would constantly watch them with Kami-sama and Mr. Popo. He'd watched so many he couldn't even count them with his fingers anymore. It's just… this whole thing amazed him so much knowing that two people could be so devoted with each other that they'd tie themselves together forever. He'd wonder if Chichi knew about this, that by telling him how she wanted to marry him, she was essentially binding herself to him, telling him that she would be by his side for eternity, that she loved him with all her being.

Love… he still didn't understand what exactly it was, but with Kami-sama's explaining he sort of started began to understand it. You could love someone like your family, like what he had with Grandpa or even what Chichi had with her had. You could love like a friend, like how much he treasured Krillin being in his life. And lastly, you could love someone like how married people love each other. That one still confused him, but as he watched all those weddings and all of the sudden he knew. He didn't know when and how he began to understand what it meant, but he just knew and suddenly he began to think that Chichi would make the prettiest bride.

His bride.

And sometimes, Kami-sama would revisit all those couples that they saw get married, especially when they find out the couple had a child, whether by birth or adopting (the whole birth thing horrified him, but that's a story for another time)

At first, he didn't understand what it meant by having a kid, but as they began telling them what exactly it meant when a couple -both of them- decided to have children. That choosing to become parents was a proof of the love they had for each other. He didn't know why they would need another proof that they loved each other when they just did something that bound them together a few months ago.

"They wanted to make a family, Goku."

He didn't understand that part. After all, he and Grandpa Gohan were family. What made this one different?

"Well, most married couple, when they decided to wed each other, also made the choice to be a family. To care for each other and all the children they will possibly have."

He only blinked and continued watching the pair Kami-sama chose to watch over that night as they held the little baby in their arms, their smiles making him feel something he didn't know he could feel.

When he had the chance and a break from training, Goku would often sit by the edge of the lookout, watching various weddings, or families, or even sometimes, Chichi. It wasn't intentional, but somehow, his attention would just suddenly drift towards her. He didn't know why, but every time he saw her, there was just something about her that made him want to stare at her forever. Bulma had a word for it… What was it Beauni? Budifly?

Beautiful. Yeah... that was the word.

Every time he watched her, she was always up and about, whether she was training martial arts with the Ox King, or she was helping any of the villagers. She was so kind and so strong that without even knowing it, a smile would always curl on his lips as he continued to watch her.

Sometimes, his thoughts would come back to her words, about brides and marriages, and things that was slowly making sense to him. Did she know? That when she asked to be his bride, that she wanted to stay with him forever? That she wanted to make a family with him? That of all the people in their world, she chose to him, an unknown orphan who didn't even know anything but fighting.

Because maybe- just maybe- he already chose her. That the thought of life with her by his side was enough to make him giddy, that imagining the two of them surrounded by little kids, their kids, their family, was more than enough to make him feel so so happy he felt like his heart would burst.

Was this love? Was this the feeling you get when you know how much you want to be with someone?

"Oh dear, Goku," Kami-sama chuckled when he told him his dilemma, of all the feelings he began to feel whenever he longed for Chichi. "I believe you just fell in love."

What? What did that mean? "Fell in love?" More gibberish to confuse him. No wait, Bulma also said something like this once.

"What's that?" he asked.

"People didn't begin to already love each other," the guardian explained. "It's a process. Sometimes, it can be slow, sometimes fast, but before anyone decides if a future with someone is worth having, people take the time to know more about each other, and maybe develop a deeper connection to them than they expected. Humans call it 'falling in love.'"

"That sounds confusing," Goku admitted with a scratch of his head.

Kami-sama chuckled once more. "It confuses me too sometimes. Humans can be quite complicated, aren't they?"

Goku nodded, peering down Earth to catch a glimpse of Chichi as she dodged her father's punch before kicking him at his ankles that made the Ox King fall down.

The smile on her face bloomed and suddenly, his heart skipped a beat and Goku realized maybe he was in love after all.


	3. Chapter 3

He couldn't believe it's been three years since he last saw his friends. Training with Kami-sama was amazing, and he learned more than he could ever want, but sometimes it did get kind of lonely. Don't get him wrong, the time he spent with Kami-sama and Mr. Popo was great, but they confused. He couldn't understand what they were talking about some of the times, especially when it came to looking over Earth. Often times, he found himself yearning for the company of his friends.

He missed talking to Krillin, telling him stuff he didn't know he could even think of. He missed traveling with Bulma, hunting dragon balls and all the fun adventures they had as they trekked around the world. He missed Master Roshi, even if he was more than a little perverted. After Grandpa Gohan's death, he was the one he felt he could call a grandfather to him. He missed Yamcha, Puar, Oolong, Tien, everyone.

It was refreshing being able to talk to everyone again. In those years that he was up in the lookout, everyone changed, but at the same time they didn't. Sure their looks have changed, but they still act like they used to. It almost seemed like they weren't separated at all.

It was funny to watch Master Roshi get reprimanded by Bulma for feeling her up again. It was sweet to see how great of a bond Chiaotzu and Tien shared. It was nice seeing how much Puar valued his friendship with Yamcha. It was fun to talk to Krillin once again.

It was amazing to be back, and he couldn't be anymore happier. This was where he belong, and he wasn't to leave.

All of them were calmly walking towards the hotel Master Roshi reserved for them, ready to turn in for the day so they can prepare for the tournament tomorrow. He was sniggering lightly to something Krillin, his friend gesticulating his arms exaggeratedly. If he didn't have such a strong sense of smell, he didn't think he would have even noticed it.

He caught whiff of a familiar smell, something he smelled before when he was right by a lake, eating apples and of a girl that continued to haunt his dreams for the past years. It was the distinct smell of wild flowers being given to him, and of smoke and fire, and suddenly he was awake, and alive, and _he recognized that smell._

He turned around quickly, trying to find where it came from. It was becoming faint, but he finally managed to trace where that unique smell only to be met by a back of a girl with a blue dress and hair as black as night.

 _Chichi…_

Suddenly, he was aware of the steady beat of his heart against him chest.

"Something wrong, Goku?" he heard his best friend asked.

"Huh?" He blinked his eyes and forced his attention away from the retreating figure of the girl towards Krillin, who was looking at him in concern.

"Are you okay?" Krillin asked again. "We arrived at the hotel but we suddenly couldn't find you anywhere. I volunteered to search for you and next thing I know, I just found you standing here staring at nothing."

How long did he stand…

"Oh that, I'm just hungry!" he laughed, scratching the back of his head. "I saw something good and I suddenly noticed how hungry I was."

Krilling stared at him in disbelief before his lips curled in a smile. "Of course," he said. "Why did I even think otherwise? Food will be the only one who could make you like this after all."

Goku didn't bother correcting him, opting to snicker with him Krillin. He didn't think- ready more like- to tell him about his whole thing with Chichi. Not because he couldn't trust him, but he just didn't think that it was something he needed to share.

"Come on," Krillin turned away from him with a wave of his hand. "Let's get back to the other so we can go eat. Knowing you, you probably need a whole buffet to feed you."

Goku watched Krillin walk away from him before he turned back to the direction of where he last saw the girl, only to realize he wasn't there anymore.

He didn't know missing Chichi was this painful.

* * *

Goku stared at the ceiling of the room he shared with Krillin. The light of the city softly illuminated the room, but it didn't distract him from his thoughts. He was honestly having a good day, talking and laughing with his friends again after so many years. He missed them, and finally being able to speak with them was something he's been looking forward to.

Except, he didn't expect to be reminded of the person he was longing for the most.

He learned more than just fighting when he was with Kami-sama. From Kami-sama he learned that life was precious and one had to make the most of it. He was taught of bonds that was shared between friends and family. He learned of love, and what it meant to give half of your heart to someone and accept theirs. Kami-sama taught all of this to him as they watched all the people down on Earth.

He used to do it a lot. Usually, he was content just to watch his friends from above, but when he learned that maybe he was little bit in love with Chichi, he began observing her more. Watching her curiously as she went about her daily life, falling in love with her more and more with every kind action she made towards the people in their kingdom, yearning for her with every day that passes that he couldn't be with her.

It hurt knowing that he wasn't able to touch her as long as he was training with Kami-sama. He wanted to talk with her, to get to know her intimately and personally, to make her smile that one smile that would make him feel as if he could conquer the world.

He just wanted to be by her side…

He couldn't take it, not being able to do things he wanted. He couldn't take having her taking his mind off of things that should matter to him, even though his heart was screaming that Chichi did matter, and was the most important one. So he occupied himself with training.

Training was good. Training made him forget about his loneliness. Training distracted him from Chichi. For the rest of the time he stayed in Kami-sama's lookout, he forced himself not to think of promised that made his heart skip beats.

But now… now that she was back on his mind, he found that he couldn't get his mind once more. How was she doing? Where was she? Was she still training martial arts with her father? When were they going to be able to meet again?

Did she still love him?

These thoughts have been running in his head the moment he smelled that familiar smell and saw that girl. His mind was trying to convince him that it was Chichi, that she near him and shouldn't let this chance pass by. But he tried to convince himself out of that mind set. After all, why would she be here? She didn't need the money, and he didn't think she would be interested in competing.

It would be nice seeing her again though...

But he can't get distracted now. Many things were going to happen, and he needed to defeat King Piccolo's last minion. It wasn't the time to think of such things.

He's going to see Chichi again, maybe not right now, but soon. He promised. Maybe after the Tournament, he'll drop by Fry Pan Mountain. Yeah, that sounded like a good idea.

And maybe, just maybe, he'll be finally able to make his promise to Chichi come true.


	4. Chapter 4

Goku didn't know how he failed it to notice it before. He should have been able to smell it even from a mile away. He was so distracted by King Piccolo and the tournament he wasn't able to notice her scent until she passed by him again.

It was same aroma that's been haunting him since yesterday, plaguing him of painful longing and eagerness to meet again. And just like yesterday, it was the same back that met his eyes.

Her scent didn't change since he first got a whiff of it. It was still wildflowers, and smoke, and fire, and he felt like he was _blazing_.

Could it be? Was it really Chichi? He was sure that it was the same scent that he remembered that clung onto Chichi. No one could mix the smell of flowers and fire like she did, and this mysterious girl could blend those two together as well as his Chichi.

But why would she be here? She didn't have a reason to be here? Besides he doubted the Ox King would let her be this far away from him. The last time he took a glimpse at them from the Lookout, the Ox King suddenly became protective over her, especially towards guys (and until to this day, he had no idea why). That couldn't be his promised bride, right?

"-ku, Goku!" he blinked out of his thoughts as he felt someone slap his back, making him lean forward and almost lose his balance.

"What the heck, Krillin?" he asked in an annoyed tone as he rubbed his back. "That hurt."

Krillin raised one eyebrow and crossed his arms. "We've been trying to get your attention for a while now, but you weren't answering. You can't exactly blame me for hitting you," his friend explained. "What's gotten into you anyway? You've been spacing out since yesterday. You can't make an excuse about being hungry since we just ate breakfast and who knows how much you ate."

Crap, crap, crap. Gotta think of something fast.

"I just thought I saw someone really strong," he sniggered, scratching the back of his head. Knowing them, they'll tease him to no end if they found who exactly he was staring at.

"Really?" Krillin blinked. "This person must be really strong if they caught your attention." Krillin looked around, as if trying to search for the person he was supposedly talking about.

"Whoever that person is, Goku will probably be able to beat them without breaking a sweat," Yamcha remarked, crossing his arms as well.

"I agree," Tien nodded. "With how much Goku has grown stronger, it is with no doubt that he will be able to beat them."

"You're right," Krillin laughed. "Aside from us, I don't think anyone can even hold a candle to Goku."

The rest of their friends laughed at his statement, Krillin joining right after. Goku let himself chuckle with them, but without them looking, he kept stealing glances at girl with hair like the night sky.

* * *

He was keeping tabs on the girl. He didn't know why, but every time she had a match Goku couldn't help but give his attention to it. He kind of felt guilty too, since sometimes his friends would be fighting while she was in a match. He kept dividing his attention on her and on his friends when in all honesty, he should have been focused on cheering his friends.

But he couldn't help it. Something about her just caught his attention and now he was having trouble looking away from her. Not to mention, her scent was distracting him from everything but _her_.

He still wasn't sure if she was Chichi or not, but something inside him was trying to convince him that it was her, that Chichi was here, right in front of him, and he should move his butt and take her in his arms before she disappeared from his eyes.

He wanted to, god did he want to. He wanted to run to her and wrap her in his arms, never letting her go. He wanted to see her smile, hear her laugh, feel her touch on his skin, hold her close to him. He wanted to know if she was really the Chichi he promised to be his bride, his Chichi.

And just standing here, only looking and not being able to speak or touch her, was pure agony for Goku.

He shouldn't even be distracted. There was so many things going on that he couldn't afford to be mooning over a girl that he didn't even know the name of. He has no room to be focused on anything but the Tournament.

He should be cheering for Yamcha; it was his turn to fight after all. But he couldn't help getting distracted because she was standing beside him. He didn't know how it happened because one second she was just on a ring, fighting her opponent while he focused(forced) his attention on Tien's fight. Next thing he knew, he was hit by her scent and all of the sudden she was beside him.

Goku tried to keep his attention away from her, he really did, but her scent, her hair, her actions- _everything_ about her was screaming for his attention. He kept stealing glances towards her, fidgeting as he fought the urge to reach for her. Words were on the tip of his tongue, eager to ask her questions he's been dying to know the answers to.

"Would you quit that?"

Goku blinked his eyes in surprised. Did she-did she just talk to her? He turned to look at her gingerly, only to be met by an annoyed glare and the prettiest eyes he's ever seen.

"If you have anything to say to me, just say it," she said, crossing her arms. "Look, just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't be here."

"W-wha?" he stammered, caught off guard by her statement. "I didn't say anything like that!"

"You've thought about it then," she said with narrowed eyes. "You can't fool me. I know people like you. You think I don't belong here, that I'm not strong enough to be here."

Goku shook his head. "I think you're plenty strong," he told her honestly. "You beat those guys after all, didn't you. That must mean you're really strong then."

She suddenly widened her eyes and her cheeks were quickly painted pink, and Goku felt the air stolen from him. There was only one person he remembered whose face gets that flushed in that way.

"W-well," she stuttered, looking away from him with her cheeks still flushed. "J-just stop staring at me! It's annoying not to mention rude."

"Sorry," he apologized with a laugh, scratching the back of his head. "You just reminded me of someone."

"Tough luck, pal," she turned back to him, her glare back in full force. "I ain't that person. So buzz off."

She turned away from him, starting to stomp but before he knew it, he was trying to get her attention once more.

"Wait!" he called out, making her turn to him with an annoyed expression. "At least tell me your name."

"I don't just give my name to anyone," she growled. "So leave me alone!"

Goku watched as she stomped away from him. He was almost convinced that she was Chichi. The scent of wildflowers and fire was stronger the closer she was to him; it was almost like he was smelling it for the first time. It had to be Chichi...

He was going to find out her name. He didn't know how, but he'll do everything just to find out if she really was the girl who stole his heart.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: hello

AnianKa: hey thanks for the review. i can't exactly read spanish but i still appreciate it tho. thank you

FinalXenoFantasy: hey... i appreciate the review but i cant exactly write something like that. it seems like that you already have it all planned out. why u try writing it :)

* * *

Goku couldn't believe his luck. Of all people to face for the quarter finals, it just had to be her. He didn't if it was fate or merely coincidence, but someone out there was definitely looking out for him.

He was going to face _her_ , his mystery girl. He still considered her a mystery, even if he had a guess on who could it be. He had to hear it from her because he didn't know what will happen to him if she said she wasn't the one he was expecting her to be. And he wished with all his might that it was Chichi, his Chichi.

"Man, Goku you're so lucky," Krillin said to him. He wasn't even looking at him, taken by the way she was huffing with a small pout on her lips. It was a little bumming to know that she didn't want to go against him (after all, from what he saw, she was plenty strong, and Goku was always up to fight against strong opponents. Not to mention, it might have made her more attracted to him), but seeing that cute expression on her face only made him smile.

"You get to go up against a cute girl like her," his best friend continued, and just like last time, it didn't reach his ears. "Look I know that you don't exactly know the difference between guys and girls, but make su- are you even listening to me? Goku?"

Krillin and the others followed his line of sight, only to land on Goku's opponent for the next round. At first, they didn't see anything wrong with it. After all, he might just be assessing her like he did with some of people he went up against, but they were surprised when his lips suddenly curled into a smile.

They looked back towards the girl, her annoyed expression still on her face before she turned around to walk away, and then they turned back to Goku, whose smile seemed to have gotten bigger and more tender, and he looked -dare they say it- love struck.

Oh.

"I can't believe this," Yamcha said with his mouth open. "I can not believe this."

"I- I agree," Tien said quietly, his problems out of his mind for a moment.

"G-goku," Krillin stuttered in disbelief. "D-don't tell me... "

Goku, as if figuring out he was being talked about, turned towards them and blinked owlishly. "Hmm?"

"You have a crush on her! Your opponent!"

Crush? What? No, he didn't want to crush her! Beat her in a match sure, but not crush her.

"I'm not going to crush her," he tried to explain, but Krillin wouldn't have any of it. "She's strong but I-"

"Don't give me those excuses," Krillin said accusingly. "You like her don't you?"

Like her? But didn't he just say he wanted to crush her? He did like her, but what did have to do with crushing her? People are so confusing…

"And don't even deny it!" he continued, putting his hands on his hips. "People don't just smile like that to people they have to beat! You _like_ her."

Damn it. He guessed there's no use denying it now.

"Well, she is kinda pretty," he tried to sound nonchalant, putting his arms behind his head.

His friends stared at him with their jaw slacked.

"Holy shit," Yamcha exclaimed. Tien could only stare at him, still with his mouth open, and Krillin… Krillin was glaring at him with a pout.

Did he say something wrong?

"I thought you said you were training with Kami-sama the whole time," Krillin said to him with narrowed eyes. "Not checking girls out."

Goku leaned his head to the side. "But I was," he replied simply. "And who do mean by checking girls out? Like pat-pat? I don't do that anymore. Kami-sama said that it's wrong."

"Of course it's wrong!" Krillin shouted. "And I don't mean that. I meant that you were meeting girls."

"I haven't met any girls up in the lookout," he answered with knitted eyebrows. Goku was becoming more and more confused with what his friend was saying.

"Then what do you call _this_!" Krillin continued. "You didn't call any girls cute before. Not to mention, girl's you're fighting against! How do you explain that?" Then he suddenly became quiet as his eyes widened. "Don't tell me… Was she the reason you've been spacing out these past days? Do you even know her?"

"Well, not really," Goku answered truthfully, he smiled sheepishly. He wasn't exactly lying.

"You mean to tell me you like someone who you don't even know the name of?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "She just reminds me of someone I met before."

"Who?"

"Someone," he shrugged, looking away from them as Yamcha held onto Krillin who seemed to want to strangle him. Goku refrained from laughing. As much as he loved Krillin as his best friend, he didn't feel like telling him that the girl reminded him of his promised bride.

"Come on guy," he said. "Let's go grab something to eat before the next round. I'm starving." He started to walk away, for some reason feeling lighter as he heard Krillin calling out to him to explain more things. He snickered to himself as he looked forward, couldn't wait for the next hours to pass.

Just a few more hours, then he'll know the truth.

* * *

He was excited. Sure he was excited for every fight, but somehow this one was different. Looking at her from across the ring was making his blood rush throughout his body, his stomach to do somersaults, and his heart to skip beats.

He glanced back to his friends to see how they were doing. Krillin was still upset at him for not telling him more about this whole thing. And throughout lunch, he barely told them anything with what exactly was going on with him. He didn't see the point of telling them something he didn't know was right.

Besides, call him selfish, but he wanted this just for himself.

Releasing a sigh through his nose, he turned back to face his opponent just as the announcer began to talk again.

"Hey, it's so nice to see you again!" he greeted her once they were at the ring. The beat of the drums rang through his ear, telling him of when the match will begin. He could smell her scent much clearer from where he stood, making him being more convinced that she might actually be Chichi.

She only huffed and went into a battle stance, and Goku could only laugh nervously as he scratched the back of his head. "I wish I could say the same thing," she said, giving him a glare. "Don't think for a second you're off the hook. I can still you staring at me even after I told you stop."

"Sorry, sorry," he laughed, scratching his face. "You still remind me of someone."

"And I told you I'm not that person," she said through gritted teeth, her glare even harsher it seemed."

"Maybe," he answered softly, then he raised his voice with a smile. "But you still haven't told me your name! Who knows, maybe you are her." The drums beat faster and faster against their years, and she tightened her stance, ready to move any time.

"I said it before, and I'll say it again. I don't just tell anyone my name!" she roared just as the announcer told them to begin. She wasted no time in leaping towards Goku with a kick. Caught off guard, Goku jumped at the last second to avoid it. She didn't waste any second to send him another attack, and from them on, he was caught in a flurry of punches and kicks.

"H-hey wait a second!" Goku said as he continued dodging her attacks.

"There's no waiting in fights!" she replied as he blocked her elbow. "Now face me like a warrior you're supposed to be!"

"But I still want to know your name!" he repeated, dodging another punch.

"I don't want to!" she growled as he blocked another one of her kicks. "Stop holding back and fight me! Don't make fun of me!"

"I'm not!" he denied, jumping away from her. He truly wasn't. He just wanted to tell him her name. Was that too much to ask? "I just want to know your name."

She growled from where she stood. Why wouldn't he just fight her? And he tells her he wasn't making fun of her?

"Fine," she sighed. Goku felt a smile to break out. Then she narrowed her eyes to him once more. "But only if you beat me!"

"Okay!"

She looked appalled at him before her glare intensified. Who did he think he was?

"You act as if you won already," she seethed. "Just because I promised that I would tell you my name doesn't mean I'm going to lose that easily."

"I know you won't," Goku said. "That's why I have to make this quick." Taking a deep breath, he took a step back, pulled his arm back, and focused.

"Ha! Like you could be-" he didn't let her finish as he punched through the air, sending a shockwave that flew her across the ring and slammed against the wall.

Oh shit!

"Oh no!" he cried as he ran towards the edge of the ring. He would get down, but that would disqualify him and he didn't exactly want to get out of the tournament just yet.

"Are you okay?" he asked once she started getting up, hissing in pain as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Do you think I'm okay after that," she asked blankly as she climbed back onto the ring. Goku, without him knowing, offered his hand to help her up as she took it absentmindedly, saying her thanks. "I promised Mei I would give the money to the orphanage too," she muttered with a pout. Goku could only smile at seeing her again with that cute expression.

"So," he began simply, rocking on the back of his heels. "Are you going to tell me now?"

Chichi just turned to him with a dirty look, before sighing and crossing her arms.

"Fine," she said. "I promise you that."

Goku couldn't help but feel giddy. She was going to tell him finally.

She turned to face fully, and the moment she opened her mouth, she had Goku's attention.

"My name is Chichi, the Ox King's Daughter."

And Goku knew, from that moment on, that he was more than in love with her after all.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: this is it guys, the last chapter. it was a good run, and i loved writing this fic. it was a little rushed, but i still hope you enjoyed it. if u have anymore questions, just hit me up at my tumblr. thanks for reading you all :)

AnianKa: awwww thank you! seeing you review still warms my heart even if i cant understand them. im glad you liked me enough to continue reviewing. i'll just have to google translate what you said. again thank you!

* * *

Goku felt the smile forming on his lips. It was her! It was Chichi!

"It's you!" he exclaimed, barely hearing the surprised cries of his friends. "It's really you!"

"Yeah…" Chichi said uncertainly, giving him a weird look.

Why was she looking at him like that? Didn't she recognize him?

"It's me, Goku!" he took her hands between his, squeezing them softly. Chichi only took a step back from him, unsure of what was going on? "Don't you recognize me?"

"Am I supposed to?" she replied with a raised eyebrow.

Goku felt himself freeze up. What's- what's going on? Why couldn't she recognize him?

"Don't you remember? We made a promise when we were kids!" Goku said desperately. This couldn't be happening. Chichi had to remember him, she had to.

"We did?" Chichi asked, eyes wide in surprised. What could she have possibility promised him, a person who she just met today. She did barely remember a Goku in her childhood, but he couldn't possibly be him right? Sure he had the same hairstyle and face, but this guy couldn't be that Goku. He didn't even have a tail, for god's sake. He just couldn't be.

Right?

"Yeah!" Goku answered, bringing her hands closer to him, and in turn pulling her closer to him. He wanted her to remember him, their promise. "You made me promise you that you- that you would be bride!"

He heard surprised cries coming his friends once more, and even Chichi seemed to be even more surprised than before. He felt something tug at his heart, almost as if he was disappointed and sad. Honestly, he might have won the fight, but he felt like he just lost something much more dear.

"Y-you're that Goku!?" Chichi cried out. "That really short boy who had a tail?"

Goku felt his heart thud in his chest, feeling some hope blossom in him.

"Yeah!" he nodded vigorously. "That's me!"

"What happened to your tail?" she asked. "Where did it go?"

"Kami-sama had it cut," he answered quickly, maybe a little impatiently. "So do you remember me now?"

"Yeah. I do," Chichi answered with a grimace. She couldn't believe that he really was Goku! And she did remember that promise she made with him. She didn't think he would remember that. That was so embarrassing. She only asked because he touched her coochie. And maybe she sort of did have a crush on him back at the time.

Okay she lied, she more than had a crush on him, and she did think about him, thinking about that strong, little boy who she'd gone on adventures with, almost gotten married a few years ago if it wasn't for that stupid army, and saved her countless of times.

But… as she grew older, she thought that it was such a dumb idea making Goku promise her such a thing. He hadn't even seen her in three years, the last one after that failed marriage attempt on her part. Who knows what he felt about her right now, or if he even felt anything about her at all. Even if she was blinded by puppy love, she could still recognize the cluelessness of his voice when she talked about being his bride. Not to mention, he was more preoccupied with the food than knowing that they were going to be married.

It was sometime within the first months after they last saw each other when she was brooding over Goku's lack of emotions about their marriage that made her realize that maybe Goku didn't want her to be his bride after all.

So she chose to forget, not just for him, but for her as well. To forget so Goku was free to chose who to love and marry, and for her so she didn't have to face the heartbreak when she finds out that yes, Goku didn't love her the way she did. Besides, they wouldn't be seeing each other again right? He's off to his adventures, making the most of his life while she was content to stay here in her father's kingdom, looking after their people.

She just didn't expect to see him here in the World Martial Arts Tournament.

"I just didn't think you'd remember that," she said as she took her hands out of his to hold her face, red with embarrassment. "Gosh that was embarrassing. I didn't think you'd remember that. I only asked you that because I was caught up in the moment."

Goku felt the hope in him slowly die yet again. What did she mean? That she wasn't really sincere about marrying him? About making a family with him?

About loving him?

"You mean…" he started slowly, feeling his heart hurt against his chest. "The promise we made… You didn't really mean it?"

Chichi looked to him, taking his hands from her face and let her eyes linger on him, of the way his back suddenly slouched, his posture looking so tired, so defeated, it's almost as if- as if he was looking forward to it. To her being his bride, to their marriage, to spending forever with her.

She felt her heart beat against her chest, and in that moment, Chichi realized why she wanted to be his bride in the first place.

Chichi gingerly held his face between her hands, staring at him intensely. Goku was caught off guard by her actions, but he stayed put, waiting for what she was going to do. He felt his cheeks heat up, whether it was from her stare or from how close she was to him, but he just knew that if she didn't stop, he's going to be doing something very stupid soon. Plus, her scent -wildflowers and smoke and fire- wasn't making things that much easier.

Her eyes suddenly softened and her right thumb caressed his cheek, Goku held his breath as she began to feel for his face, tracing his face with her fingers, pushing strands of his hair out of his face. When it settled back to the side of his face, he couldn't help but lean into her hand, relishing her touch.

"Sometimes," she began softly, Goku barely heard it. "Sometimes, my mind doesn't know what my mouth is saying." Then slowly, she looked directly into his eyes, a soft smile playing on her lips. "But my heart does."

It took him a couple seconds for him to take it her words, but when he did, he couldn't help but turn to her with wide eyes as she looked away from him, kicking the floor as she had her hands behind her. She slowly turned back to him, a shy smile on her face.

"Would you still take me Goku, after all I said and done to you?" she asked softly. "Will you still make me your bride?"

Gasps and cries fell deaf on their ears, especially Goku's as he processed what he just heard.

Goku felt his eyes widen, and before he knew it, his arms was reaching for her, wrapping them around her as he pulled her close to him, burying his face on her shoulder as he took in her scent. Chichi could only feel her cheeks reddening as she stuttered and struggled in surprise.

"Yes," he mumbled against her shoulder. "Marry me, Chichi. Stay by side forever."

Chichi stopped her movements, and felt her body relax against his. Her arms wounded themselves around him, returning his embrace.

"Always," she whispered, only for him to hear.

Goku smiled against her shoulder and separated from her. He looked down to see her smiling up at him, giving him a smile that he knew was only going to be for him and him alone. He gave her another hug, lifting her off the ground and nuzzling her face with his.

He barely heard telling him to stop as she laughed, the announcer telling everyone about them deciding to get married. What mattered to him was the one in his arms and how he wasn't letting go of her.

He slowly lowered Chichi back to the ground as the crowd continued to cheer for them. He felt his eyes softened as he gazed at her, and she to him. Just knowing that she'll be beside him from now until the end of time was enough to make him feel so so happy, he felt like his heart would burst.

Goku couldn't wait start a whole new adventure with her, and he knew it was going to be the best one he'll ever take.

End


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